TORI SHORT STORY 9 - DANGEROUS NIGHTS II Part 1
by ShadowBat48
Summary: Tori's on the run from a certain Talon from her past, alone and without close help. Will Red Robin and Nightwing get to her side in time? Or will she fall from the tangle with the past?


A/N: So this is a two part story. You've read a story like this so I guess this title is like its own arc. There may be a third one or a fourth, we'll see how it goes!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Enjoy!

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TORI SHORT STORY #9 - DANGEROUS NIGHTS II Part 1

"I need backup, like _major_ backup," Tori said as she sprinted across the rooftops of Gotham. She didn't glance behind her she just sprinted with all her might. She and Tim had been out that night together and it had been going great until they got separated,

"What why?" Dick asked,

"Do you really need to know why?" Tori asked, leaping again and stumbling a little as she landed,

"Where are you?" Tim demanded,

"Aren't you with her?" Bruce growled, Tori rolled her eyes before leaping again, she had no idea where she was going, she only knew that she needed help and fast or she was a Talon goner,

"Well I was until Miss Super Ears heard something and ditched me!" Tim said, he sounded furious,

"Talon, where are you?" Bruce snapped,

"Uhhh…no clue!" she said, trying not to wince at the literal growl Bruce let out,

"How can you not know where you are?" Damian snapped,

"I haven't really been paying attention to landmarks," Tori said,

"What were you chasing? You took off like a bloodhound on a scent," Tim said,

"Can't you guys track me? I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. I may have great endurance and stamina and agility but even that won't last for a Talon," Tori said breathlessly,

"What did you chase?" this time it was Bruce who was asking,

"Ahh about that—,"

"—trap?" Dick asked,

"Totally," Tori said, "…Sorry,"

"Where are you?" Bruce asked, this time urgent,

"I don't know! I thought we established that?"

"Get some distance and try and find a knowledgeable landmark," Tim said,

"Again, can't you just track me?"

"With what? You're nonexistent chip?" Tori decided to stop arguing with them and do what they asked, it was doing nothing for her favor if she kept talking,

"Who's after you,"

"…Cobb," Tori said, risking a glance back. The older Talon was keeping pace with her, he was actually getting closer. Tori took a deep gulp of air and pushed herself to go faster,

"And you're running away?" Damian snapped, "You've gone toe to toe with him before, you can beat him,"

"As encouraging as that is, going toe to toe with him got me a dagger in the side," Tori snapped, "Besides, I don't want to face him, that man _tortured_ me. If you faced someone who tortured you, you wouldn't be saying that," silence reigned for a second before Tori realized they were around the area of Leslie's clinic,

"I'm near Leslie's clinic…I don't know for how long though," she said as she leapt again to a different rooftop. Tori vaulted over the air ducts poking out of the roof and sprinted to the edge of the rooftop,

"I'm on my way," Tim said,

"Me too," Dick said, Tori could hear their grappling lines being tossed and the wind whistling as they swung. Tori knew they wouldn't get there fast enough. They'd be long gone from the area by the time they arrived…Tori would have to try and loop around the area a few times and hope Cobb didn't catch on. She made it to the edge and jumped into the air only to feel something grab her ankle and tug her back slightly. She let out a small cry as she nearly collided with the edge of the rooftop she was aiming for…but she managed to grab onto it.

Looking back she saw that it was a chain with a metal talon's claw that had ensnared her ankle. William, who did not have his mask on at the moment smirked darkly at her as he reeled her in, like a fish. Tori clenched her teeth and gripped the building's wall tighter. She held on with all her strength despite the fact that it felt like she was being ripped in two. She held on until there was a loud cracking sound and a part of the building broke off. Tori let go of the brick chunk she took with her as she swung downwards, her head hitting the side of the building Cobb was standing on.

William started to pull her up as Tori struggled helplessly. She kicked at the claw and tried to grab onto the wall only to break some of her nails in the process. She did not want to face him again…not after what he did, not after they fought and he injured her one last time with the serum on his blade. She still woke up at night with sweat dripping down her face and a trembling that wouldn't stop remembering the agony of his whip and the searing pain of the serum. Tori couldn't get caught. She grabbed the hilt of her dagger and pulled herself upwards to slash at the chain attached to the claw, hoping the chain wasn't made out of the same strength enhanced metal as the dagger.

It wasn't, her dagger cut through the chain like butter and she fell with a crash onto the fire escape. Not wasting any time she kicked the claw off and leapt over the railing, just as Cobb landed right where she used to lay. Her feet it concrete and she was off sprinting along the roads. Crime Alley was always void of cars at this time of night, everyone inside and the only people out and about were criminals, mob members and drug dealers. She wasn't in an advantageous setting either, Cobb stuck with the rooftops while she was on lower ground. She was in danger…she needed the rooftops again. Tori spun on her heel and ducked into the first alleyway she could find. She sprinted to the first fire escape and climbed up the outer most railings to the very top of the building. Tori sprinted across the rooftop only to get nailed by William halfway as he swung into her from the side.

Tori skidded across the pavement, she rolled over backward and rose to her feet just in time to block his first punch,

"Why waste your energy on me?" she asked, trying not to sound too breathless. She ducked under another punch and threw one of her own. Cobb caught it and flipped her over his shoulder. She landed hard, enough to knock the air out of her lungs. Snapping her eyes open she rolled away, barely avoiding his sword's point. She scrambled to her feet and pulled her own sword and dagger free,

"Why let a damaged bird roam free when it needs to be put down. It'll only die on its own," he snapped back,

"How am I damaged?" Tori questioned, "Just because I won't follow your orders or the Grandmaster's orders doesn't make me damaged,"

"It does to us. You're a liability, a mockery to what the Court stands for…teaming up with Batman," Cobb said in disgust. Tori brought her blade up just in time to block his speedy attack. Talons have unusual speed, older Talons were much faster than the younger ones because they had the Electrum in their blood the longest. Tori's booted feet slide backwards at the force of the blow and Cobb stumbled forward because of it. That was the only moment of rest Tori had before they were both sending blows at blinding speeds. Tori trying desperately to keep up with him while trying to also avoid being backed off the roof. His speed was the only advantage he had, she'd been trained by a better swordsman. They traded blows and parries, thrusts and lunges, slashes and hilt hits until they both stumbled to a brief stop, both panting and glaring at each other,

"You don't need to do this," Tori panted, "I'm nothing to you. I don't belong to the Court, you can forget about me,"

"No. You are still my heir and my blood. Your betrayal rocked the Court, our numbers are almost nonexistent. You need to pay for what you've done," William didn't sound regretful, not in the slightest…but there was something in his eyes that made Tori lower her sword and dagger slightly. Eyes are windows to the soul, Tori truly believed that…eyes held a story that anyone can read if they look hard enough for it,

"The Grandmaster is making you do this isn't he?" she guessed, "To teach you a lesson," Cobb didn't say anything, but his glare said much more,

"An heir that betrays is the worst to our cause, the mentor left behind suffers the most for his crime of bringing that heir into our home and teaching them the ways of the Talons and giving them the knowledge to destroy the Nest. You are not the first heir to seek the destruction the Court. I've seen the repercussions handed out by the Grandmaster…I find this the least agonizing one," Tori hated to admit it…but she actually felt sorry for her grandfather. His trust and loyalty to the Court was being questioned because of what she's done, even though his loyalty never shifted. She also couldn't help but remember back to the last few minutes before she became a Talon and William told her the Grandmaster's new plan. He had granted her the chance to spare her brother the life of a Talon by telling her that change of plans.

Her distraction nearly cost her the fight, Tori barely had time to dodge William's attack while she was reminiscing of the past. She cursed her distracted mind and focused on her attacks. William, though a good sword fighter, was more of a knife thrower than a swordsman. He preferred fighting at a distance…she needed to get in close. Tori pushed Cobb away from her and threw her dagger and sword the the ground. William regarded her with a stunned expression before glaring at her suspiciously. Tori smiled sweetly before dropping her level—lowering her core so she had a more balanced stance—and lunging for William's left leg. He realized to late that she was going for the take-down. He threw his weapon down and tried for the guillotine choke hold—a hold that would render even a Talon unconscious in two seconds—too late, she had him.

William fell heavily on his back as she lifted his right leg with one hand and cut the left knee—causing it to buckle—with the other hand as she stepped to the left. Tori then leapt at him, pushing his chest down with her hands as he tried to leap to his feet and pinning his right arm down with her left knee while straddling his chest with her other left, she pinned his other hand with her own right hand and brought her left fist back and punched him repeatedly in the face,

"I don't know why I felt bad for you back there. I _briefly_ did but I don't think you deserve that now anymore. You tortured me! You _forced_ me to become a Talon—," William let out a sputtering laugh, spitting a bit of blood out as he did so,

"I didn't force you to do anything," he said, "You had a choice. Just as I had a choice and you made it of your own free will,"

"Your torture decided for me! I would have _died_ and you wouldn't have cared,"

"I never said I wouldn't have cared, and you've never asked. Despite what you may think my regard for you is nothing but what one would feel for the only family left in the world. I did not want to do what I did, but I was given orders. The Grandmaster knows the family trees for each Talon and he chose you out of all the others on mine. He only changed his mind when he realized your stubbornness would kill you before you gave in," Tori gritted her teeth and punched him in the face again,

"Don't you dare blame anyone else for _your_ actions!"

"Like you blame _me_ for _your_ choice? You _chose_ to be a Talon just like I did. Your _reason_ may be different, but it was still _your_ choice. You became a Talon to protect your family…your loyalty to your family and morals was your downfall just as it was mine when the Grandmaster told me to kill you," Tori felt her rage boil and she shifted her weight so she could land one more good punch before knocking him out. As she pulled her fist back she glared down at him and hissed,

"You're wrong. My loyalty is my strength!" Cobb laughed and pulled his head to the side as she brought her fist down. Tori stared in shock at the hole she made in the concrete roofing,

"I figured you'd feel better about your loss if you got to hit me a little," William said before bumping her with his hips. Tori fell forward slightly, her grip on his left wrist slipping and her knee shifting off of his other hand. Tori scrambled forward and rolled away from William even as his knife scratched her side. Blinding pain made her let out a small groan. Tori jackknifed to her feet and started to back away from Cobb, towards the corner of the roof hoping she'd be able to run despite the scratch once she was off the rooftop or that at least Dick or Tim would manage to get to where she was. William stared at her evenly, tossing his serum dagger from one hand to the other,

"Planning to run again? You know my aim is much better and faster than your dodging skills," he grinned like a Cheshire cat, his dark dark blue eyes—almost black—glittering in the moon light,

"No, I'm planning on giving you a taste of your own medicine," Tori growled, lunging forward to grab the dagger out of the air as he tossed it, but he was quicker…she forgot he was older and therefore faster, her anger may have clouded her judgement on the matter of her skill and speed compared to his. He grabbed her arm, catching the dagger in his right hand while snatching her left forearm in his left hand and spinning her around. His left arm then snaked its way around her throat with her back to him. She struggled and kicked at his shins, but nothing stopped the crushing force he put on her windpipe,

"I wonder if you'll live this time," he whispered in her ear, something odd in his voice as he said it, and thrust the dagger into her lower back. Tori gasped, the icy shock of the wound much greater than the agony that followed. She didn't even cry out, not even when the dagger was removed, not even when Cobb was sidelined by Dick or when Tim appeared gliding on his metallic wings a few seconds behind him. Tori only cried out when she tipped forward, unable to stop her momentum, she managed to turn around and see Tim's startled face as he reached for her before she fell to the ground. It was then that the roaring agony fired through her veins and she screamed.

Tori was still awake when Tim landed next to her. He turned her onto her stomach. She was thrashing as if it would help make the pain stop. She flailed so much he had to place his knee on her upper back to keep her still. Tori couldn't see his face but as he called for Dick she could hear the worry in his voice. Suddenly Dick was on her other side, she could see his grim face and a few slashes on his suit from his fight with William,

"Where's the cure?" Dick asked breathless and with worry in his voice, "Do you have it?"

"Yeah, but I can't reach it without her flailing and hurting herself even more," Tim said panic in his voice, "We need to hurry…I-I don't think I have enough. This is deep and it won't stop bleeding,"

"Use what you have now. Batman's on his way with the Batmobile, there's more in the Cave,"

"What if—,"

"—It's not time for what ifs Red. I'll hold her you get the cure," Their voices were tinny and echoing painfully in her ears. All she wanted to do was sleep. She just wanted silence…and peace…and no pain. Her throat hurt from screaming and she felt like she was choking at the same time. She coughed and sputtered and was pretty sure she coughed up blood at some point…but she felt the needle of the syringe with the cure as it entered her wound…causing her to thrash harder and scream more. The pain receded slightly, but flared like the rolling waves of the sea,

"…I don't think it will last," Tim was saying, "Where's Batman?"

"Another minute," Dick said as he lifted Tori into his arms, "Let's sedate her…" she didn't hear what he said after that, the roar of the Batmobile's engines were too loud as it approached and the icy spreading of the sedative that was injected into her arm made everything blur into nothing…but before she blacked out entirely she was pretty sure she saw a dark figure perched on the rooftop across from where she had fought her grandfather. Her last thought was that she had to be dreaming or hallucinating.

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A/N: Cliffhanger! Dun Dun Dun! I was very pleased with this part of the Short Story! Next part of this Short Story will be posted next Tuesday. Things To Resolve will be posted next Monday and please please please:

REVIEW!


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